Classic Comic Compendium: Y - THE LAST MAN #1, a very strong first issue

What makes a nice first issue?

The reply to that query is, naturally, subjective. If it was one dimension matches all and simply quantifiable, each story would doubtless adhere to that components and every little thing can be nice. I do know that sort of looks like a non-reply. Which is why I believe it’s higher to have a look at the query from the opposite facet; what parts are current in particular first points which are typically thought-about nice?

To that finish, I’ll be specializing in the works of Brian Okay. Vaughan and his collaborators.

“All of the men are dead.”

Y: The Last Man #1 from Vaughan, Pia Guerra, José Marzán Jr., Pam Rambo, and Clem Robins was arguably Vaughan’s first main breakout hit (although The Hood may be in competition) and the subsequent large factor for Vertigo. It launched the world to Yorick Brown, his monkey Ampersand, and an Earth the place quickly the feminine of the species can be the one ones left.

The premise of a sequence and the characters can considerably be thought-about an intangible, a component of a story that’s typically an unknown amount for audiences. Especially with a new creator-owned mission. So what are the extra mechanical parts current right here?

1. Dialogue

Like Brian Michael Bendis, one of many hallmarks for Brian Okay. Vaughan’s work is his dialogue. But the place Bendis’ dialogue is a sort of speedy-hearth Mamet-inspired staccato, Vaughan’s characters are inclined to ramble. They’re lengthy-winded, typically referencing well-liked tradition and music. Going off on tangents that higher inform the characters. In a method, it’s sort of like Kevin Smith or Quentin Tarantino. It’s most likely one of many the reason why Vaughan has additionally seen success writing for tv. And why lots of his works get tailored to different media.

Here we get a diversion into Elvis, some nonetheless topical political dialogue of abortion and gun management, and a little bit of the character of masculinity within the face of an environment friendly, extremely succesful navy lady. I’ll say that, at the least within the early Aughts, Vaughan used ableist slurs repeatedly. And use of it’s current on this issue too. I do contemplate it a drawback, and can focus on it extra once I cowl Runaways. Whether or not you contemplate it exclusionary for his works is as much as you. I can actually perceive and respect anybody who does.

2. Pacing

Pacing has quite a few totally different elements and is a complete artistic crew affair. How the story is structured performs a large half, how the pages are lain out, how the phrase balloons seem, and lots of different parts. Y: The Last Man #1 begins in media res, basically giving us what would be the cliffhanger ending first. This offers us the premise of the sequence and a thriller proper off the bat, having the viewers chew on that whereas then going by way of flashbacks for the remainder of the issue.

The rhythm and circulation of the layouts from Pia Guerra give the general storytelling its construction. She makes use of many large panel tiers damaged up sometimes by rows, all adhering inside a set body dimension for every web page. There are a couple splashes and one web page with a grid, every specializing in Yorick. It offers a considerably snug really feel to the artwork with an imposed construction. The use of title playing cards for location and time additionally reinforces that framework. In a method, it offers an phantasm of security by way of kind and permits for the motion and finish results of each man dying all of the extra influence.

For essentially the most half, we get longer scenes from every of who will doubtlessly be our main characters. Working in little mysteries and extra plot threads. When this breaks down, we basically get speedy beats shifting from location to location, giving us the texture of society breaking down rapidly at this mass extinction of the males of the species. It helps whip us into that cliffhanger with us wanting extra.

There’s additionally an attention-grabbing bit to the rhythm of the dialogue, with Clem Robins depicting a variety of interruptions by way of overlapping phrase balloons. It’s fairly a good method. One that will actually solely ever work in comics.

“It’s too late. It’s like this everywhere.”

Of course, there’s extra to it than simply these two classes. And I really feel remiss not mentioning the astonishing paintings from Pia Guerra, José Marzán Jr., and Pam Rambo extra. Because the comedian can be nothing with out it. From the clear-lined, naturalistic character designs by way of to the motion sequences to the shift from fairly shiny tones in most scenes to blues and darker shading after we meet Agent 355, the visible storytelling can also be one of many main the reason why this first issue works.

Y: The Last Man #1 from Vaughan, Guerra, Marzán, Rambo, and Robins makes use of dialogue and pacing to supply an enthralling, propulsive comedian that units up compelling characters and an enthralling thriller. It is probably not absolutely the good comedian, however it’s one hell of a rattling good first issue.

Classic Comic Compendium: Y – THE LAST MAN

Y: The Last Man #1 – “Unmanned”
Writer: Brian Okay. Vaughan
Penciller: Pia Guerra
Inker: José Marzán Jr.
Colourist: Pam Rambo
Letterer: Clem Robins
Publisher: DC Comics / Vertigo
Release Date: July 17 2002
Available collected in Y: The Last Man – Volume 1: Unmanned, Y: The Last Man – Book One, Y: The Last Man – Compendium One, and Y: The Last Man Omnibus